The Lucky Bullet

by H. S. Strickland

  “Oh honey, I can’t imagine what you went through.” Ray said, bringing me back to the present. I sat there stunned for a minute. She wasn’t going to tell me she’s sorry? What the fuck?

  “It’s fine. Let’s go to bed. We’ve talked enough about the deep shit.” She nodded her head, without one complaint. She knew I had had too much tonight.

  Rolling on to my back, I pulled her body flush against mine. She lay on her side, head to my chest, thigh thrown over mine. I ran my fingers through her hair till I heard her breath even out and I knew she was asleep. I placed my arm around her shoulder and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

  I woke a few hours later, Ray was tossing and turning. She was making a tortured noise, like she was in pain.

  “No Luke, I don’t want to tonight.” She practically yelled.

  She was now trembling, and sweating. She started moaning again, louder till she was screaming. I started shaking her gently trying my damndest to wake her up without startling her more.

  When she finally came to, she had tears streaming down her face. She burrowed her face into my chest, mumbling, “I didn’t want to. He made me. I tried to stop him.” As soon as the words left her mouth, my jaw clenched. I didn’t have to know the whole story to know he forced her. She was just giving me more drive to get this fucker and show him not to fuck with women. He would regret every time he laid a finger on this woman.

  I was pissed at Cade for not telling me this shit. This was something I needed to know. I understood him trying to keep his loyalties, but this shit was huge. And something I needed to know, considering he was stalking her now. I had to get a handle on this shit now, so that my woman could heal properly.

  After getting Araylia calm, we lie back down and try to sleep. I played with her hair, trying to make it easier for her to sleep, but she never did sleep long. She would always sleep for an hour then wake up and stay up for 30 minut

  es. It was a very tiring night.

  Chapter 14

  Ray

  I had another dream last night. This time Luke was raping me again. Shaking the thoughts of last night’s dream, I tried to get out of Mace’s bed as quietly as possible. Apparently I was not as stealthy as I thought, as soon as I lifted Mace’s arm off of me, it came back around my waist and tightened. He nuzzled his nose in the back of my hair.

  “Where do you think you’re going baby?” he asked, his voice tinged with sleep.

  “I need to go to the bathroom and get Liam up.”

  “Forgot something, babe,” he grunted. I turned around with my brows scrunched up in confusion. What did I forget? I was going to the bathroom.

  Mace, tired of waiting for me, leaned in and kissed me deeply not giving a crap about my morning breath. Loving the feeling of his lips on mine, I moved in closer, wanting more contact. I stroked his tongue, while my hands traveled into his hair and grabbed what little I could. He groaned and pulled away, as Mace opened his mouth to say something, Liam comes running into the bedroom. Mace and I broke our embrace to look up at my little boy as he flew on the bed.

  Flopping down on top of me Liam says,

  “Mom, we need breakfast.”

  “I know baby, I was just getting up to go to the bathroom then get you up.” He smiled at me and started jumping around the bed, screaming for pancakes. Obviously my boy wanted pancakes. I got up and walked over to the bathroom, did my business and washed my hands. I wanted to brush my teeth, but I wasn’t planning on staying the night here, therefore I didn’t bring my toothbrush. Oh well. Mace already had his tongue down my throat, so I used his.

  I walked into the kitchen to find Liam on the counter with a shirtless Mace cooking breakfast. Wow. That was definitely a sight to behold. Liam was on the counter facing me, so he saw me first. I held my index finger up to my lips, hushing Liam. He nodded.

  I snuck up behind Mace, once again trying to be stealthy. It worked this time around. I ran up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning on my tippy-toes and telling him, “Boo,” in his ear. He didn’t jump like I wanted him to, but turned around and raised one dark eyebrow at me.

  “You aren’t sneaky babe,” he said to me.

  “Oh, we’ll see about that. I’m staying here now; I’ll catch you off guard at least once.” I told him with a cocky grin on my face.

  “Oh yeah?” He smirked back at me, with a devilish glint in his emerald eyes. He flipped the last pancake on the stove and turned around toward me.

  I backed up one step, then two. I already knew what that devilish glint meant. He was going to try and get me back. I turned around and full-fledged ran through the house; screaming and laughing the whole way, Mace hot on my trail. I ran into the bedroom and tried to slam the door behind me, but didn’t get to it in time. Mace already had his foot in the door and was pushing it open. I backed up on the other side of the bed, holding my hands in surrender.

  “Baby, we can work out a truce. I won’t fuck with you anymore.” I told him with a goofy grin on my face.

  He shook his head and stalked to me. I backed up until I hit his bookshelf under his bay window. He still had the dark glint in his eyes, only now it wasn’t devilish. It was hot. His once usual emerald green eyes were now mossy green, with flecks of gold in them. Lust and desire were swirling dangerously in them. My breathing started to accelerate. I felt that magnetic pull again, telling me to go to him. Judging by the swirl in his eyes, he felt it as well.

  Knowing that he was horny from just chasing me around the house, made me feel powerful. I felt exotic, and I felt like a vixen. While I still had the nerve, I moved away from the bookshelf, moving toward Mace. I didn’t have to walk far, he met me half way. As soon as my body was flushed against his, Mace’s mouth crashed down on mine in a hard, bruising kiss. It was hot, sexy, and filled with nothing but lust. I had no problem with it. Just the look in his eyes had my panties filling with my arousal. I wanted this man so much. Though, he knew I wasn’t ready and that meant more to me than a lot of other words he had spoken.

  He moved his hands up my back and into my hair, grabbing a handful and pulling my head back. My throat was exposed to him and he took full advantage of that, trailing wet kisses down my throat. While at my throat he whispered “I will have you, Araylia, and I will make you scream my name. You will enjoy it when I fuck you,” causing more of my juices to flood my panties.

  I was turned on, simply by a kiss and a few words. I had never felt this type of attraction before I met Mason Jones. He was something different, something special. I could feel it deep in my bones. I didn’t know if I should go with my gut on Mace, but my gut was telling me that something epic was going to come out of being with him.

  I broke the kiss and looked into his eyes, my own emotions blatantly on my face. He understood, I could see when understanding lit his eyes. He knew this was turning into something more, it wasn’t just one date anymore. It wasn’t just protecting me. It wasn’t just a chase for pussy. There were deeper feelings behind what we were. We just had to figure out what they were.

  Mace and I walked back into the kitchen hand in hand, passing Liam who was in the living room watching TV. He turned his head from the TV and he looked at me and what his eyes said, spoke volumes. He was happy for me. He may not have been old enough to remember what his biological father did to me, that he even has a father, but he knows somebody did something to his mom. He’s a very smart little boy.

  We served up the pancakes and talked while we ate.

  “So what are your plans for the day?” I asked, while shoving a piece of pancake, doused in syrup, in my mouth. He looked over at me and shook his head with tilt of his lips, almost a smile.

  “I really need to head into the office today. I’ve missed a lot of shit in the past week.” He replied, drinking some black coffee. By the way, how he drank black coffee I will never know. I won’t even ask questions about the nasty-ness of it!

  “Well, I’m probably going to drop Liam of with Matty and the
n head down to the hospital. I took that week off work, but I need to see if I can cut my hours down some. I want to be home with Liam some more.” Having Luke threating our lives didn’t sit well with me, and while I knew my brothers could take care of Liam, I preferred him to be with me.

  “Don’t forget to go get your shit from Cade’s house while you’re out.” Mace spoke again, reminding me of the conversation we had last night.

  I just rolled my eyes and mock saluted him. Truth be told, even though I acted as if I didn’t want to move in, I did. I felt more secure with Mace than I did with Cade. Don’t get me wrong, I knew Cade could take care of Liam and me, but I was more comfortable with Mace watching over us. On the plus side, I would get to wake up every morning and see Mace walking around shirtless. I’m a dirty girl, I thought to myself, smiling.

  Later that day, after having gone to the hospital and getting my hours switched I called Kota and asked if she would come with me to get my shit from Cade’s. She had agreed eagerly, ready to meet the mysterious Cade I had told her about in the past week.

  Kota, my very best friend, was a horn-dog just the female version. She has never met a guy she wanted to settle down with, always just having one night stands. I had no idea why any time I brought it up she shot down the conversation faster than I could blink. I think she had some real issues she didn’t like to talk about. I just wished she trusted me enough to talk to me.

  I pulled into Kota’s driveway just as she was locking her front door. She was dressed to impress in a strapless black maxi dress with crochet stripe insets throughout the bottom, on her feet were a pair of gold wedges.

  “Who the hell are you getting all dressed up for? It couldn’t happen to be for Cade, could it?” I yelled at her over the rumble of my baby.

  “Well, hell yes, I’m getting dressed up for him. You have to look hot to get laid. You wouldn’t know considering you’ve never been laid and don’t want to get laid.” She fired back.

  Ah, yes. Our witty banter. Always firing insults back and forth to each other. It was a part of our friendship. Oh how I missed hanging out with Kota.

  We pulled into Cade’s apartment building half an hour later, ready to get my stuff. I really hated leaving Cade. Even though he didn’t tell me anything about himself, I knew he had some deep wounds. I tried asking multiple times what his story was, but he would never give me anything. Much like Kota. He was there for me, from the time I had that first nightmare, and every time after that. I was extremely lucky to have somebody that would be there for me like him. I was going to miss him.

  I opened the door with my key, and called out to Cade.

  “Hey Cade, I’m here.” Mace said he called earlier and told him I would be getting my stuff today, so he knew to expect me.

  “In the kitchen, baby girl.” I heard him yell back, from the kitchen clearly.

  I looked back at Kota and nodded my head in the direction of the kitchen. She mouthed to me “Baby girl?” I just shook my head to indicate that it wasn’t like that. She just wiggled her perfectly shaped eyebrows back at me in a suggestive manner. I rolled my eyes and kept walking into the kitchen.

  I got out of the foyer and rounded the corner on my right and saw Cade in the kitchen with a mug of Joe. I walked up to him and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Leaning back, I saw he wasn’t paying me any attention. His attention was solely focused on the vixen behind me. For whatever reason, he seemed puzzled with her appearance which, after I thought about it, I didn’t call and tell him she was coming. Stepping back from his embrace I spoke.

  “Cade, this is my best friend Kota, Kota this is Mace’s best friend and colleague, Cade,” I said while gesturing between them as I said their names.

  They both clearly couldn’t give a shit what I said though. They were in a stare down. Recognition lit up Kota’s face, and it went hard as granite. I just stared, confused as shit. I didn’t know they knew each other. I cleared my throat, trying to clear the sudden tension filled room.

  “Right. It’s sure a pleasure to finally meet you, Cade.” Kota said, holding her hand up for a hand shake. She put an emphasis on finally and that raised my hackles as well. These two had some history, and if my assumption was correct, it didn’t end well between them.

  “It’s nice to meet you as well, Kota. Ray never mentioned you.” He shook her hand, and looked at me with a glare on his face, as if this was my fault.

  “Cade, don’t you dare look at me as if this is my fault. I didn’t know you two knew each other.” He looked startled and I smirked.

  “Yes, it’s that obvious Cade.” I told him, shocked he didn’t have his features schooled like usual.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” He asked, not beating around the bush.

  “Cade, a word please?” I asked tersely, nodding my head in the direction of the living room.

  I didn’t give him a chance to answer; I just walked away, knowing he would follow me. I spun around and tore him a new asshole.

  “Caden! What the fuck was that? That is my best friend right there your being rude to! I can clearly tell you two have history, but now is not the time for it. Y’all need to hash out your issues another time! Can you please be nice for the next two hours, so I can get my stuff without a problem between the two of you?” My southern twang had come out to play while I was whisper-yelling at Cade.

  When I got really emotionally my southern roots started to show. I hated it and had been trying to hide it my entire life. My accent was left behind with the life I left when I started college.

  Cade dropped his head in shame, knowing that now isn’t the time for whatever problems he and my best friend had.

  “I know; I’m sorry. There is just a lot of bad history between us. I’ll just stay in my bedroom while you guys are packing. Knock on my door before you leave.”

  He turned around and walked away without another word. Leaving me there to wonder what the hell had happened between them that Kota had failed to mention the entire duration of our friendship. It was obviously something big or it wouldn’t affect Cade at all.

  I slowly walked back into Cade’s newly remodeled kitchen, my dream kitchen, and look at Kota, who is standing there with a permanent look of shock on her face. She also had tears in her eyes.

  In the almost ten years I had known this woman I had never, not once, seen her cry. And she was about to do it, I rushed up to her and threw my arms around her. Because of our height difference and her heels, I was almost hugging her middle section. She hugged me back. Not a word was spoken. Partly because I wasn’t sure what to say, I had never seen her upset like this, and she didn’t seem like she wanted words right now.

  After a few minutes I pulled away and swiped under her eyes. I tugged her hand and lead her down the hall toward the bedroom I stayed in, as we passed Cade’s bedroom, Kota looked at it and finally gained her composure. She stiffened her spine and angrily wiped her eyes again. She gave his bedroom door the bird, turned looked at me and busted up cackling. Looking at her in bewilderment, I laughed with her.

  An hour and a half later, I had cleaned and packed up all of mine and Liam’s stuff. Kota’s attitude lifted significantly while she helped me pack.

  I turned my iPod on and connected it to the dock at one point while we were cleaning, and Kota had a ball dancing and singing into my hair brush until Cade walked by and stopped to watch. Kota didn’t notice at first, she just kept singing, Cade noticed everything though. He had the softest look on his face; I swore I saw his lips twitch. Kota finally realized that I was staring behind her, and turned to see what I was staring at. She dropped the hair brush so fast I thought it was on fire and glared hard at Cade.

  After that, we didn’t have any more hiccups. Cade stayed in his bedroom and Kota kept her mind off of him by cleaning.

  Before we left I set out to find Cade in his bedroom. I knocked softly then opened the door. He was at his desk to the right of the room, sketching. I found out when I lived here
that Cade had a thing for art. He drew when something was bothering him and he needed the escape. Not many of the guys knew that Cade drew and he made me swear I wouldn’t say anything.

  I looked at him with sympathetic eyes, wishing I knew what happened to him. He put his sketch book up and looked at me with questioning eyes.

  “You told me to come in here when we were done?” I asked, but it was more a statement than question.

  He nodded, standing up and motioning for me to go to him. I went freely, not being scared of him anymore.

  “I’m going to miss you around here and that rugrat of yours too.” He told me, hugging me to his chest.

  “I know but I won’t be gone for good. You’ll see me often, I promise.” I told him, squeezing him hard. I hated the thought of him being in this apartment by himself.

  He nodded, kissed me on the top of my head and pulled away. I moved to the door and turned back around to look at Cade one last time before I left. I mock saluted him and gave him a tiny smile, I didn’t get one back.

  Kota and I loaded the ‘Stang up after that and took off like a rocket.

  Kota yelled over the rumble of the engine.

  “Why do you have to drive like a teenage boy with his first car, Ray?” She was gripping the ‘oh shit’ handle so hard her knuckles were white.

  I laughed and sped up, enjoying scaring the shit out of her. She wasn’t easily scared so I had to mess with her.

  I had the perfect opportunity when I pulled up to a red light, and a kid was driving his daddy’s brand new Camaro. I revved the engine to get his attention; he looked at me and rolled his window down. Mimicking him, I rolled down my window and yelled.

  “Want to race to the next red light? It’s about two miles up ahead.”

  He smirks and revs his engine up. I assume that’s a yes, I thought to myself.